Trailer hitch



Dec. 5, 1950 G. A. sHAlEB 2,532,676

TRAILER HITCH Filed May 9. 1947 FICE- 1.

INVENTOR. Geo/"ye 5ba/6b 57M www A7' TOR NEY5 iatented Dec. 5, 19570UNITED STATES PATENT OFFC l 2,532,676 A TRAILER HITCH George A. Shaieb,lDetroit, Mich., assigrior to' Active Tool & Manufacturing Company,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 9, 1947,Serialll'o.'747,098`

(Cl. 25m-33.17)

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a means for coupling or hitching, atrailer to an automobile or other tractor and has among its objects ahitch that overcomes certain difficulties heretofore encountered.

In trailer hitches heretofore used one of the difiiculties encounteredhas been the crystalizing and breaking of the ball forming a member ofthe customary ball-and-socket joint.

An object of the present invention is to provide a construction in whichthis objection is overcome.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simpler and more easilyoperated coupling means and one that may be quickly and easily lockedagainst uncoupling, accidental or otherwise.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to the following description and the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. l is a top plan view of the hitch.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with parts in section.

As indicated in the drawings, the hitch consists of two main elements Aand B, one of which, preferably A, is permanently attached to thetrailer (not shown) and the other permanently attached to the tractor,such as an automobile (not shown).

The element A consists of a channel member I opening downwardly for thegreater portion of its length and open at one end IIIA.

At the other end, the channel member Ill is closed and formed to providea socket II which has a spherical inner surface extending substantially180 in a horizontal plane and substantially 180 in a verticallongitudinal plane, the latter however being so located that the loweredge of the spherical surface is well below the horizontal center plane.

The socket Il is preferably formed with a substantial stiffening flangeIIA extending around the socket edge. 'Ihe socket II is open at thebottom and that side toward channel In and a cross member I2 ispreferably welded or otherwise fixed to the channel walls against thesocket so that there is eliminated any tendency for the socket tospread.

Also carried by channel I0 is a latch or locking member I5 pivoted on apin I5A extending across the channel I0 and provided with a .portion ISBhaving a spherical face of the same radius as that of the socket II andso located, when in locked position that the spherical surfaces of thesocket and latch form portions of the same theo- 2 retical sphere, withthe center of surface I5B slightly below the horizontal plane passingthrough the center of the sphere.

This element A of the hitch is designed to cooperate with the ballportion of element B, which consists of a ball 20 Whose outer radius issuch that the ball provides a sliding fit in the spherical socket abovedescribed.

IThe ball 2B is 4formed on a stem 2l threaded at its lower end to coactwith a suitable nut 22 by means of which it may be fixed to the tractorautomobile, and surrounded by a collar 22 serving as an abutment opposedto the action of the nut.

In producing the ball and collar assembly, the ball 2t and stem 2l arel-lrst formed in halves from suitable sheet meta1 stock, each consistingof a half ball and half stem. The collar 22 is produced by stamping andforming a washer 22A having a substantial flange 22B around the centralopening. A second washer 22C is also stamped and formed to provide aconical crosssection with an inwardly directed flange 22D around itscentral opening.

This flange 22D is shaped so that it lits a portion of ball 20 and alsoaround the stem 2l. The outer edge of washer 22C is of such size andcontour as to fit over the outer edge of washer 22A.

The two washers 22A and 22C are forced over the stem 2| of an assemblyof two halves of the ball 20 and stem 2|, together with a short pieceof'rod material 25, with brazing metal between the Various joints orcontacting surfaces and the several pieces are then placed in a suitablefurnace and brazed together to form one integral whole.

The rod stock 25 is preferably of such length and size as to fit snuglyin the half stems and extend to about a radius length from the center ofball 2l). Its other end may be spaced a short distance from the end ofthe stem as shown.

After the brazing operation, the parts are suitably finished and areready for use.

In order to insure the unauthorized detachment or uncoupling of theelements A and B, a suitable opening 3o is provided in the handleportion of latch i5 for the reception of a suitable lock, e. g. apadlock.

I claim:

1. In a trailer hitch consisting of a socket member adapted to be xed tothe trailer and a ball member adapted to be secured to the draftvehicle, a ball member consisting oi a ball having an integral threadedshank or stem and an abutment member adapted to resist thrust longie anintegral threaded shank or stem and an abut-f ment member adapted toresist thrustv longitudinally of said shank, said ball and shankconsisting of sheet metal halves each comprisingL ball and shankportions and Ysaid abutment member consisting of coaxial ringssurroundingsaid shank, the said halves and rings being brazed to- 4gether to form an integral whole, and a reinforcing member xed Withinsaid shank.

GEORGE A. SI-IAIEB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATESI PATENTS Number Name Date 1,889,297 Russell Nov. 29, 19321,978,859 Draeger Oct. 30, 1934 2,170,980 Thorp et a1 Aug. 29, 19392,392,063 Reimann et a1 Jan. 1, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date300,750 Great Britain Nov. 22, 1928

